Shark attacks double in 20 years across densely populated coastlines
The IndependentSign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Instead of sharks becoming more aggressive, the increase in attacks across regions like southern Australia and the US East Coast actually reflects the rise in people taking up residence on coastlines and flocking to beaches. “With more people in the water, the chance for a shark attack increases.” However, he noted that many countries saw attacks drop over the same period, and even where they went up numbers were low. “While shark attacks are often reported in numbers, we factored in the regional human populations to determine the rate of shark attacks worldwide,” said Dr Midway. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Study co-author Dr George Burgess of the University of Florida said people had “always demonised sharks”, but the researchers said they wanted their study – published in the journal Plos One – to contribute to “a more scientifically grounded discussion about sharks”.
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